Freeport streamlines retirement package for city workers

FREEPORT — The city is creating a standard retirement package for employees to provide more equity across municipal ranks.

“This is not a new policy,” Mayor Jim Gitz said. “The real issue is a matter of a consistent policy as opposed to no policy and some set of equity for bargaining and supervisory personnel.”

Retirement packages for non-union employees have been handled case by case. This resolution sets a standard for all retiring workers with 20 years of service who are not union members.

“Most of the people in management were in the union itself and when they got to management, lost their benefits,” said 7th Ward Ald. Mike Koester, a retired Freeport firefighter. “We only think it’s fair that they get them back. They’ve earned them.”

The City Council unanimously passed the measure this week. Any nonbargaining employee with a minimum of 20 years of service and eligible to receive a city pension at the time of retirement will get an amount equal to $4 for every hour of unused sick time, up to a maximum of $7,200, which will be contributed to their public employee health care accounts.

“It helps those who step up and take the promotions see that they’re going to be treated fairly as they move forward and that the city appreciates them,” Freeport police Chief Jerry Whitmore said. “We want the best people to be moving up and doing those jobs.”

Nonbargaining retirees who have 20 years of service will be entitled to stay on the city’s health and dental insurance for up to five years and pay 30 percent of the premium; the city will pick up the rest.

The funding for the retirement packages comes out of each department’s line item and doesn’t require additional money to implement.

“It is not an increase of department expenses,” Gitz said. “Replacements and new hires come in at a lower pay grade. We have run the numbers.”

The resolution is set to expire on April 30, 2014, the end of the fiscal year. Whitmore said the change will affect two people in his department immediately, and that number could rise if the resolution is extended.

Gitz said the resolution was given an April limit so that it could be re-examined based on the city’s fiscal state when next year’s budget is determined.

“I hope it gets looked at and reviewed and continues in one way or another,” Whitmore said.

Koester said the change is positive for employees.

“We need to make sure that we are taking care of our employees,” he said. “It’s a step toward taking care of some of the discrepancies we’ve had through the years.”